That’s the message to Sunderland after the latest swathe of Premier League statistics emerged showing the Black Cats have covered less ground this season than any other top-flight club bar Manchester United.

Whilst performing fewer sprints than all but six rivals.

Now, the science is not super-sealed water-tight.

The numbers do not show that simply running for longer, and at a quicker pace, directly results in tangible returns - goals, wins - on every occasion, pro rata.

But there is a clear correlation.

Liverpool’s players have collectively run 1,282.4 kilometres over the course of 11 league games this season, more than any other team. Liverpool are top of the Premier League.

Manchester City have covered the second longest distance - 1,265.4 km - and stand third in the table. Tottenham Hotspur are fifth in both classifications.

There are apparent anomalies.

Lynden Gooch of Sunderland is challenged by Stewart Downing of Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough, for instance, stand sixth in the marathon stakes - with 1,235 km - yet 15th in the league table. This is thought to be down to so much running expended on defending, on maintaining shape, rather than high-intensity attacks that might force goals and wins.

They are only mid-table when it comes to sprints – defined as runs in excess of 25.2 kilometres-per-hour. West Bromwich Albion are similar. Well-drilled caution reigns.

Mind, Swansea City, as seemingly adrift as Sunderland, have run more kilometres than 12 other teams, and are sixth in the sprint figures. So go figure. Defensive backtracking maybe?

The top sprinters do show something; Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea, in that order...

Jump Chelsea into second spot and you have – drum roll please – the upper reaches of the EPL.

The lower reaches?

No Manchester United, admittedly, who stand sixth despite covering the least amount of ground and performing the sixth-least sprints. Some possession goes some way, however un-Mourinho like it may be.

Only they fall below Sunderland’s 1,168.6 km total ground covered for the season, while the Black Cats’ 5,391 km of sprints works out at 49 metres per game per starting outfield player. In reality it’s less, were goalkeepers and substitutes factored in.

Now perhaps all this is in some way a reflection of Moyes’ push for more possession, which can - as in, let the ball do the work - but doesn’t have to go hand in hand with less running, over and above Sam Allardyce’s greater emphasis on mileage.

Also, despite insisting he hasn’t the personnel to sit back and soak up pressure, Moyes’ men have been guilty of just that at times. That might knock the sheen off your running numbers.

But clearly given where they lie in the Premier League table, Sunderland could do with getting up and running.

Sunderland players run during a Sunderland training session on Roker Beach